The Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement (PEMS) support the collaborative efforts of authors, editorial board members, scientific committee members, and reviewers to ensure responsible scientific publishing. This statement adheres to the ethical principles outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Core Principles:
The journal follows COPE guidelines, with SVIMERJ publications having updated its publishing ethics policy. Editors publish and regularly update author guidelines referencing the code of conduct, prioritising the integrity of the scientific record. Authors must avoid misrepresenting research results to maintain the trust of the journal, promote scientific professionalism, and uphold the integrity of the broader research endeavour.

Originality and Plagiarism:
Manuscripts must not have been previously published in full or part, except as expansions of prior work with transparent disclosure to prevent text recycling or self-plagiarism. Web-based tools aid in detecting matching text during editorial review, but manual examination is required to confirm plagiarism. Early plagiarism detection educates authors unfamiliar with publishing ethics and reduces burdens on editors and reviewers.

Editorial Responsibilities:
Decisions to accept or reject papers rely on importance, originality, clarity, study validity, and relevance to the journal's scope. Editors protect peer reviewers' identities (unless using declared open review) and forward full comments to authors, excluding offensive or libellous remarks. New editorial board members receive guidelines on expectations, with ongoing updates and periodic consultations on journal operations.

Author Guidelines:
Authors must confirm the correct author group, corresponding author, and order at submission; post-acceptance changes are not permitted. Research from proposal to publication follows best practices and codes from relevant professional, national, and international bodies. Journals may encounter ethical issues or misconduct in submissions, addressed per established protocols.